


At the Store

by ml101



Series: Finding Out [5]
Category: The Thick of It (TV)
Genre: Daddy!Malcolm, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-12
Updated: 2016-10-12
Packaged: 2018-08-22 01:45:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,038
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8268094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ml101/pseuds/ml101
Summary: Nicola is out grocery shopping when she encounters something surprising.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of an Alternative Universe where Malcolm is a father. I have different scenarios on how his colleagues find out about Malcolm and his family. Another version with Nicola.

“You have got to be kidding me, dad! There’s like five boxes of macaroni and cheese on this cart!”

Malcolm smiled as he glanced back at his daughter. He had asked her to come along his grocery shopping because he had found this new cookbook and wanted to experiment with his culinary skills, a skill he hasn’t been practicing for a while now.

“Well your brother made me promise to bring him home as many as he could eat and well as many as I could afford.” replied Malcolm as he started selecting the best tomatoes from the pile. He tossed her one. “You should really learn how to cook and not just those instant stuff that’ll give you cancer or something.”

“Like you don’t live on Chinese take-out and fish and chips where you’re staying at the flat,” argued Michelle as she placed the tomatoes in their grocery cart. “Honestly dad, I know you stay in the flat as a safety precaution for the press and media in taking pictures of Jake and I but that place looks like a hermit lives in it.”

Malcolm rolled his eyes as he pushed the cart towards the checkout counter. In all honesty, he didn’t want to live in his flat near Downing Street but he had too because that is his listed residence and that’s where the press knew he live. Not his real house, where his family stayed. If there was one thing that Malcolm wanted to keep is the privacy of his family, especially his work not interfering with his children’s lives. He had made a promise to his late wife that he would not let politics enter their children’s lives and he was going to keep that.

“So what’s the menu tonight?” asked Michelle as they started unloading their cart to the counter. “I’m guessing the experimenting starts. I just hope it’s not all greens.”

“You aren’t setting a good example for your brother by complaining about eating vegetables, Mitch.” lectured Malcolm and before Mitch could reply another voice entered the conversation.

“Malcolm?”

Malcolm inwardly groaned as he turned to see Nicola Murray holding a shopping basket of her own and standing in line behind him. From the corner of his eyes, Malcolm saw Mitch swallow nervously as she tried to turn the other way as to not let the cabinet minister see her.

“Nic’la.” acknowledged Malcolm and he just continued with what he was doing earlier, and pretty much ignoring the minister but Nicola Murray had other plans.

“That’s a lot of Mac n’ Cheese for a man like yourself,” commented Nicola and Malcolm could feel the smirk from his daughter even though her back was towards him.

“Well it isn’t your fucking business what I eat is it, your majesty seeing as you pretty much have a bunch of junk food in that basket or yours.” replied Malcolm, not hesitating to swear in front of his daughter because she was already used to it. “What are you even doing here? Don’t you have someone to do your shopping for ya?”

“Well I have my own stash of food and—”

“Say no more.” stopped Malcolm. “You just wanted to get out of the house. James being a fucking pathetic excuse for a human being again? Honestly, Nic’la, save us all the trouble and just put the man in his fucking shitty place.”

Both adults heard the chuckle coming from the young girl standing near Malcolm and Nicola stared at her then glanced back at Malcolm. Malcolm sighed, “Mitch, Nicola Murray, DoSAC minister. Nicola Murray, Michelle Tucker.”

“Tucker?” asked Nicola an eyebrow raised as Mitch turned around and smiled, a real genuine smile at the cabinet minister.

“It’s a pleasure minister,” said Michelle as she extended her hand towards the older man which Nicola reluctantly accepted. “I well…I’ve heard an awful lot about you.”

“From your father.” finished Nicola as he looked back at Malcolm once again who rolled his eyes. Good timing that his shopping had ended.

“Mitch, why don’t you take some of the bags back to the car,” said Malcolm as he fished out his keys and handed it to his daughter. “I’ll pay up and meet you outside.”

Mitch nodded and did as she was told. As soon as she was out of earshot, Malcolm turned to Nicola. “Look, I don’t talk about my family because I make sure of it that the press don’t ever get a hold of it. I promised that I would not let my work interfere with them living a normal life, not a life where their faces are in the newspapers and names being mentioned every time the news has something to do with the party or me. I don’t want them to have to be singled out in their schools because their father is dubbed evil bastard of Downing Street or whatever fucking nickname their using that week so just—”

“Oddly enough Malcolm,” cut off Nicola. “I do understand. I am a parent after all. Don’t worry. Your secret is safe.”

Malcolm couldn’t understand why but he trusted Nicola Murray and there was something about the way she said that she was a parent as well. She understood the trials of what their job had on their family. Malcolm saw her struggle just as much as her children’s struggle and he didn’t want Mitch and especially Jake, being as young as he is, to go through that as well.

“So how many do you have?” asked Nicola as Malcolm paid for his groceries.

“Two. One girl and one boy. 15 and 5.” replied Malcolm.

“And their mother?”

Malcolm sighed. Another reason why he never brought the subject of family up. He fidgeted with the gold band on his ring finger. “I don’t want to have this conversation, here of all places Nic’la. Fucking bad time and place. And if you must know, she died back in 04. I’ll see you the next time you fuck something up.”

Before Nicola could react, Malcolm had gotten the other bags that his daughter left behind and exited the store. He made a mental note to never come back to the store that Nicola Murray frequents ever again.


End file.
